The Law of Nations Treated According to the Scientific Method. Christian von Wolff
ought to be the case in a system, lest it may lack the full light which it can and ought to have; for in definition one must use the terms previously explained or made clear from general usage in speaking. But those who think that a barbarism is introduced, when any cultivate and teach studies in any other language than the Latin, because the Romans called those barbarians who did not speak Latin or Greek, are very greatly mistaken; for did not both the Greeks and Romans transmit their learning and arts in their native tongue? It is one question whether the knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages is useful to the scholar, quite another whether or not it is wise that scholars should use some common language, and whether that ought to be Latin. This is not the place for us to say what seems best concerning either point. But this concept of the barbarous nation, which we have given, is quite fruitful, provided only one shall have mentally grasped those previous concepts which lead up to it, and provided one is strong in the art of proof; for from this are to be derived the things which are to be predicated of barbarous nations, that we may not judge erroneously
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concerning their characteristics, as for example, by confusing natural manners with virtues, or by attributing to virtue the absence of vices, which is due to ignorance, or by counting civilized manners as uncivilized, because they may be different from those commonly received among other non-barbarous nations. Nevertheless, it is not our plan to follow up those ideas here; it is enough to have awakened the attention of others.
§ 53. Of the cultured and civilized nation
§ 547, part 1, Jus Nat.
§ 52.
That is called a cultured nation which cultivates intellectual virtues, consequently desires to perfect the intellect, and therefore develops the mind by training. And that is called a civilized nation which has civilized manners or manners which conform to the standard of reason and politeness. We call it in our native vernacular, ein gesittetes Volck [a cultured people], just as with respect to their usages barbarous nations are called, ungesittete Völcker [uncultured peoples]. But since barbarous nations have uncivilized usages, therefore to a barbarous nation is opposed a nation cultured and civilized.
§ 888, part 1, Jus Nat., and § 769, Psych. Emp.
§ 583, part 1, Jus Nat.
§ 566, part 1, Jus Nat.
§ 570, part 1, Jus Nat.
§ 43.
If a cultured nation is assumed to cultivate the intellectual virtues without restriction, it will scarcely happen that it will not at the same time become civilized, since civilized customs develop from intellectual virtues, just as the uncivilized from the natural inclinations, unrestricted by reason. But there are indeed intellectual virtues also, which of themselves do not in the least correct morals and do not destroy barbarism. Hence it is not unusual that learned men exist, who have not undeservedly acquired fame of name, who are marred by bad and uncouth manners. Lofty genius and no ordinary shrewdness is required, if any one would excel in integral calculus and higher geometry. Therefore whoever does excel, has a name deservedly honoured. But to whatsoever extent at length integral calculus may be carried and to whatsoever height higher geometry, or the geometry of curves, may have been carried, nevertheless integral calculus and higher geometry do not refine the impulses even in the slightest degree, and consequently contribute nothing to the correction of manners. Nay more if any one uses up all his time in calculus alone
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and in the application of it to geometry, when he thinks that he excels in this study and surpasses others, ambition, which controls his affection, brings forth pride and disdain, with ignorance as a midwife, and finally arrogance and ambition, by which vices he is led astray to do those things which are a disgrace to himself and to his class, and when he associates with strangers, he very greatly retards the growth of the sciences. If besides he lives to himself alone, and avoids association with men whom charm and grace of manners recommend, he either has no manners or uncouth ones, by which he brings the science which he cultivates into contempt with those who are not able to pass judgement on it for itself. Scholars of this sort, who neglect the studies fitted to refine the impulses and find pleasure only in those which do not destroy barbarism, are rightly considered semi-barbarous and, when they surpass others in number, make the nation semi-barbarous.
§ 54. That nations ought to be cultured and civilized, not barbarous
§ 35.
§ 199, part 1, Jus Nat.
§ 53.
Nations ought to be cultured and civilized, not barbarous. For nations ought to perfect themselves and consequently their intelligence. Therefore, since a nation is cultured which perfects its intelligence and consequently develops the mind by training, nations ought to be cultured. Which was the first point.
§ 53.
§ 895, part 2, Phil. Pract. Univ.
§ 131, part 1, Phil. Pract. Univ.
§ 259, part 1, Phil. Pract. Univ.
Since a nation ought to be cultured, as proved above, in point 1, and therefore ought to develop the mind by training, in determining its actions, too, it ought not to follow the leadership of its natural inclinations and aversions, but rather that of reason, which the law of nature imposes as a sort of rule of conduct and also urges proper decorum. Therefore, since a nation is civilized which enjoys customs conforming to the standard of reason and politeness, nations ought to be civilized. Which was the second point.
§ 204, part 1, Phil. Pract. Univ.
§ 53.
§§ 52, 53.
Finally, since a cultured and civilized nation is not barbarous, moreover since nations ought to be cultured and civilized, as shown above, in points 1 and 2, nations ought not to be barbarous. Which was the third point.
Note, § 53.
It is indeed more to be desired than hoped for that all nations should be cultured and civilized; but it cannot for this reason be denied
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that it is the duty of a nation to seek to become cultured and civilized, developing the mind with the training which destroys barbarism. For there is no question here as to what sort nations are and why it happens that they are such, but what they ought to be. It happens that nations are barbarous through no fault of nature, as if she had refused them the dispositions necessary to the attainment of the training which destroys barbarism, but through the lack of the opportunity to raise the natural dispositions into a habit of life and through the presence of obstacles which divert and distract the mind from this desire and attempt. Who will persuade himself that the natural dispositions of the Greeks have been so changed that they to-day are so utterly unadapted to the learning in which they formerly excelled, and that training without natural gifts does not avail? But since a nation may be cultured, although it be not civilized, especial care must be used that it become civilized, namely by developing the mind by that training especially which removes barbarism. So the Chinese gave their best efforts to training in manners and to statecraft, and so from the most ancient times they have been prominent among the more civilized nations and are so to-day, yet it happens that few, nay, almost none of them have made advances in metaphysics or physics, much less have they acquired the fame of Europeans in mathematics. But on these points a greater light is shed by moral philosophy to be derived a priori from the nature of the human soul. It is sufficient for the present to add the following corollary.
§ 55. What training is especially suitable to nations
§ 54.
Since nations ought to be cultured and civilized and not barbarous, they ought to develop the mind by that training which destroys barbarism, and without which civilized customs cannot exist.
Note, § 54.
§ 53.
Indeed there is no training at all which cannot contribute something towards correcting the will. Still not all training of itself tends to its correction. Therefore consideration